In the quest to examine and define
the term civil disobedience, history provides numerous examples to look at
throughout time and across various cultures. Almost certainly one of the
earliest portrayals of civil disobedience comes at the hands of Antigone, in the
play of the same name written by Sophocles in the fifth century B.C.

In order to relate Antigone and her actions to
civil disobedience, we must first understand what it is. In its “modern” sense,
the phrase civil disobedience first originated over 150 years ago in an essay by
American author and theorist Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau was prompted to
compose what would become his most well-known writing in response to being
incarcerated for one night for refusing to make payment of his taxes. This
refusal, a blatant breach of the law of the time, was Thoreau’s way of showing
his opposition to the war with Mexico and the delay in abolishing slavery
(Henry). In his essay, Thoreau makes the opening statement “That government is
best which governs least.” With this declaration, comes the idea that citizens
have the right to exercise resistance against laws they see as unjust or morally
wrong; essentially civil disobedience or “Resistance to Government”, as the
essay was originally titled. Thoreau said “It is not desirable to cultivate a
respect for the law, so much as for the right.” (Beck, Abolitionists).

Over 2000 years before Thoreau, Antigone
exhibits that same kind of defiance toward the rule of her time. She, in an
ancient act of civil disobedience, directly disobeys an edict put forth by
Creon, King of Thebes, ordering that her brother Polyneices not be given a
proper burial, or any burial at all for that matter. Polyneices body as it is
told by Antigone to her sister Ismene, is to “lie in the fields, a sweet
treasure for carrion birds to find as they search for food.” (Schmidt et al.
1095). Creon further declares that the punishment for this crime shall be
death. Antigone believes so strongly that she is morally justified and bound by
family duty to bury Polynieces, that she boldly breaks the law knowing she will
face the ultimate consequence for her actions (Gardner). When caught in the act
and confronted by Creon, Antigone tells him “This death of mine is of no
importance; but if I had left my brother lying in death unburied, I should have
suffered. Now I do not.” (Schmidt et al. 1103). Although Antigone must surely
have struggled with the internal fight between her conscience and following the
law, she remained strong and steadfast in her defiance to Creon. In doing so,
she not only gave us possibly the first recorded instance of civil disobedience,
but also an early example of a woman challenging political authority (Beck,
Greek).

So, it seems that the concept of civil
disobedience is an enduring one. Antigone was faced with the struggle between
individual and family allegiance and her duty as a citizen of the kingdom of
Thebes (Nunn). This is not unlike some of the struggles that face us today;
such as those who protest the United States current war with Iraq. These modern
day protesters are standing up for what they believe is personally right and in
direct disagreement with the policies of the current political administration.
This shows us how Antigone is a play, although written two millennia ago, that
still applies to a current theme in our society; the conflict between the
liberties of the citizen and the interests of the land (Gardner).